GRADING APPLES

Southland Times, Issue 20527, 2 July 1928, Page 11

GRADING APPLES

WAX MODELS BEING MADE. It was suggested at the fruitgrowers’ annual conference that some standard should be set up whereby inspectors and apple growers could ascertain definitely when an apple was fit for a certain grade. At present, it was stated, the inspectors had ideas that were apt to differ from the standards of the growers themselves. The Hawke’s Bay delegates thought that the Horticultural Department should make a series of standard apple models in wax, showing the minimum points of colour, etc., admissible for that particular class. Most of those present thought the idea quite good if it were practicable. Mr. Cambell (Director of the Horticultural Division) reassured delegates on the practicability of the scheme. He said that the idea was actually being followed at the moment. However, it was slow work. First, it was necessary to select the apples for the artist to copy, each class of apple required three typi ca l standards. Then the artist had to set to work very slowly, giving great attention to every detail. Thus the first set would be a slow job, but he hoped to have them ready for next year. Once the standard wax models had been made it would be fairly easy to have copies made, and, perhaps, eventually distributed to the actual grading sheds. Mr. Campbell was confident that the colours would not fade, for he had apple models, not standard apples, that showed no signs of fading for the last twenty .years.